Delta spread-wise mu-mimo scaling configuration

ABSTRACT

Methods of operating a radio access network (RAN) node in a communication network. Methods include operations of receiving valid channel data from multiple user equipment (UE) devices. The channel data includes channel impulse response distribution data corresponding to the UE devices. Operations include generating a virtual UE based on a first delay spread of a first UE device of the UE devices in a multiple user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) scheduling configuration.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to communications, and moreparticularly to communication methods and related devices and nodessupporting wireless communications.

Massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) may provide a cleardistinction relative to current practices of using a very large numberof service antennas that are operated fully coherently and adaptively.Extra antennas may help by focusing the transmission and reception ofsignal energy into ever-smaller regions of space. Such approaches mayprovide significant improvements in the throughput and energyefficiency, particularly when combined with simultaneous scheduling ofmany user terminals (e.g., tens or hundreds).

Other benefits of massive MIMO may include multiple user MIMO (MU-MIMO).Multiple user equipment (UE's) in different positions and/or locationscan simultaneously access the network with the same frequency/timeresources. The Massive MIMO can provide asymptotically orthogonalchannels to the terminals. Limitations in this approach are yetundetermined.

Brief reference is now made to FIGS. 1A and 1B, which are schematicdiagrams illustrating different MIMO types disclosed herein. Forexample, FIG. 1A illustrates a single user MIMO (SU-MIMO) and FIG. 1Billustrates a MU-MIMO.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments herein are directed to methods of operating a radioaccess network, RAN, node in a communication network. Such methodsinclude receiving valid channel data from multiple user equipment, UE,devices, that includes channel impulse response distribution datacorresponding to the UE devices and generating a virtual UE based on afirst delay spread of a first UE device of the UE devices in a multipleuser multiple input multiple output, MU-MIMO, scheduling configuration.

Some embodiments include determining a maximum delay spread supported bythe RAN node and comparing the first delay spread of the at least one UEdevice to the maximum delay spread. In some embodiments, generating thevirtual UE includes dividing scheduling of the first UE device intomultiple virtual UEs based on the first delay spread being greater thanthe maximum delay spread.

In some embodiments, operations include comparing the first delay spreadto a first delay spread threshold that is determined as the maximumdelay spread multiplied by a first factor that is greater than zero andless than 1. In some non-limiting embodiments, such operation may be inresponse to the first delay spread not being greater than the maximumdelay spread. Some embodiments provide that generating the virtual UEincludes merging scheduling of the first UE device with more than one UEdevice in the UE devices to generate the virtual UE based on the firstdelay spread being less than the first delay spread threshold and basedon the first delay spread not being greater than the maximum delayspread.

In some embodiments, operations further include comparing the delayspread of the first UE device to a second delay spread threshold that isdetermined as the maximum delay spread multiplied by a second factorthat is greater than the first factor and less than 1. In somenon-limiting embodiments, such operation may be in response to the firstdelay spread not being less than the first delay spread threshold.

In some embodiments, generating the virtual UE includes mergingscheduling of the first UE device with scheduling of a UE device of theUE devices to generate the virtual UE based on the first delay spreadbeing greater than the first delay spread threshold and less than thesecond delay spread threshold.

Some embodiments include comparing a delay spread of a second UE deviceof the UE devices to the maximum delay spread. In some embodiments,generating the virtual UE includes dividing scheduling of the second UEdevice into multiple virtual UEs based on the second delay spread beinggreater than the maximum delay spread.

In some embodiments, operations further include comparing the seconddelay spread to a second delay spread threshold that is determined asthe maximum delay spread multiplied by a second factor that is greaterthan zero and less than 1 and generating the virtual UE includes mergingthe scheduling of the second UE device with the scheduling of the morethan one UE device of the plurality of UE devices to generate thevirtual UE based on the second delay spread being less than the firstdelay spread threshold, wherein the more than one UE device includes thefirst UE device and at least one other UE device.

In some embodiments, operations further include comparing the delayspread of the second UE device to a second delay spread threshold thatis determined as the maximum delay spread multiplied by a second factorthat is greater than the first factor and less than 1. Some non-limitingembodiments provide that such operations are in response to the seconddelay spread not being less than the first delay spread threshold. Someembodiments provide that generating the virtual UE includes merging thescheduling of the second UE device with the scheduling of one other UEdevice of the plurality of UE devices to generate the virtual UE basedon the second delay spread being greater than the first delay spreadthreshold and less than the second delay spread threshold, wherein theone other UE device is the first UE device.

Some embodiments provide that the virtual UEs include a first virtual UEand a second virtual UE and that operations include calculating multipleantenna beam forming weights corresponding to the first virtual UE andthe second virtual UE.

In some embodiments, calculating the antenna beam forming weightsincludes dividing the channel impulse values into a first channelimpulse value corresponding to the first virtual UE and a second channelimpulse value corresponding to the second virtual UE. Some embodimentsprovide that calculating the antenna beam forming weights furtherincludes generating, for each of the first virtual UE and the secondvirtual UE, an interference channel impulse response.

In some embodiments, calculating the antenna beam forming weightsfurther includes generating, using the interference channel impulseresponse for each of the first virtual UE and the second virtual UE, aninterference matrix and calculating the antenna beam forming weightsusing the interference matrix and the interference channel impulseresponse.

In some embodiments, calculating the beam forming weights is performedusing a zero forcing criteria.

Some embodiments provide that operation include determining a firstdelay spread threshold that is less than a maximum delay spread that issupported by the RAN node and comparing the first delay spread of thefirst UE device to the first delay spread threshold. In someembodiments, generating the virtual UE includes merging scheduling ofthe first UE device with scheduling of another UE device of the UEdevices based on the delay spread of the first UE device being less thanthe first delay spread threshold.

In some embodiments, the virtual UE includes channel impulse responsescorresponding to multiple ones of the UE devices. In some embodiments,operation include generating a time delay between a first channelimpulse response and a second channel impulse response.

Some embodiments provide calculating a plurality of antenna beam formingweights corresponding to the virtual UE. In some embodiments,calculating the antenna beam forming weights includes dividing thechannel impulse values into a channel impulse value corresponding to thevirtual UE. Some embodiments provide that calculating the antenna beamforming weights further includes generating, for the virtual UE, aninterference channel impulse response.

In some embodiments, calculating the antenna beam forming weightsfurther includes generating, using the interference channel impulseresponse, an interference matrix and calculating the antenna beamforming weights using the interference matrix and the interferencechannel impulse response.

Some embodiments are directed to a radio access network, RAN, node thatincludes processing circuitry and memory coupled with the processingcircuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executedby the processing circuitry causes the RAN node to perform operationsdescribed herein.

Some embodiments are directed to a computer program comprising programcode to be executed by processing circuitry of a radio access network,RAN, node. Execution of the program code causes the RAN node to performoperations described herein.

Some embodiments are directed to a computer program product including anon-transitory storage medium including program code to be executed byprocessing circuitry of a radio access network, RAN, node, wherebyexecution of the program code causes the RAN node to perform operationsdescribed herein.

Some embodiments are directed to a core network, CN, node that includesprocessing circuitry and memory coupled with the processing circuitry,wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by theprocessing circuitry causes the CN node to perform operations describedherein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments.In the drawings:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating different MIMO typesdisclosed herein;

FIG. 2 are plots illustrating channel impulse responses and maximumdelay spreads of three different UEs in a MU-MIMO according to someembodiments;

FIG. 3 are plots illustrating channel impulse responses of a UEincluding a large maximum delay spread that is divided into multiplevirtual UEs having reduced maximum delay spread according to someembodiments herein;

FIG. 4 are plots illustrating channel impulse responses of a UEs havingsmall delay spreads that are merged into a single virtual UE accordingto some embodiments herein;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating operations for a network nodeaccording to some embodiments herein;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating operations for converting physicalUEs into virtual UEs according to operations disclosed in FIG. 5 aboveaccording to some embodiments herein;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating operations for converting physicalUEs into virtual UEs according to operations disclosed in FIG. 5 aboveaccording to some embodiments herein;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless device UE according tosome embodiments herein;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a radio access network RAN node(e.g., a base station eNB/gNB) according to some embodiments herein;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a core network CN node (e.g., anAMF node, an SMF node, etc.) according to some embodiments herein;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating operations of a network nodeaccording to some embodiments herein;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating operations of a network nodeaccording to some embodiments herein;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating operations of a network nodeaccording to some embodiments herein;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a wireless network in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a user equipment in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment in accordancewith some embodiments;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a telecommunication network connected viaan intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a host computer communicating via a basestation with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 19 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communicationsystem including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communicationsystem including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communicationsystem including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment inaccordance with some embodiments; and

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communicationsystem including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment inaccordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Inventive concepts will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples of embodimentsherein are shown. Inventive concepts may, however, be embodied in manydifferent forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of present inventive concepts to those skilled in theart. It should also be noted that these embodiments are not mutuallyexclusive. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to bepresent/used in another embodiment.

The following description presents various embodiments of the disclosedsubject matter. These embodiments are presented as teaching examples andare not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosed subjectmatter. For example, certain details of the described embodiments may bemodified, omitted, or expanded upon without departing from the scope ofthe described subject matter.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a wireless device UE300 (also referred to as a mobile terminal, a mobile communicationterminal, a wireless communication device, a wireless terminal, mobiledevice, a wireless communication terminal, user equipment, UE, a userequipment node/terminal/device, etc.) configured to provide wirelesscommunication according to embodiments herein. (Wireless device 300 maybe provided, for example, as discussed below with respect to wirelessdevice QQ110 of FIG. 14 .) As shown, wireless device UE may include anantenna 307 (e.g., corresponding to antenna QQ111 of FIG. 14 ), andtransceiver circuitry 301 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g.,corresponding to interface QQ114 of FIG. 14 ) including a transmitterand a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radiocommunications with a base station(s) (e.g., corresponding to networknode QQ160 of FIG. 14 , also referred to as a RAN node) of a radioaccess network. Wireless device UE may also include processing circuitry303 (also referred to as a processor, e.g., corresponding to processingcircuitry QQ120 of FIG. 14 ) coupled to the transceiver circuitry, andmemory circuitry 305 (also referred to as memory, e.g., corresponding todevice readable medium QQ130 of FIG. 14 ) coupled to the processingcircuitry. The memory circuitry 305 may include computer readableprogram code that when executed by the processing circuitry 303 causesthe processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodimentsdisclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry303 may be defined to include memory so that separate memory circuitryis not required. Wireless device UE may also include an interface (suchas a user interface) coupled with processing circuitry 303, and/orwireless device UE may be incorporated in a vehicle.

As discussed herein, operations of wireless device UE may be performedby processing circuitry 303 and/or transceiver circuitry 301. Forexample, processing circuitry 303 may control transceiver circuitry 301to transmit communications through transceiver circuitry 301 over aradio interface to a radio access network node (also referred to as abase station) and/or to receive communications through transceivercircuitry 301 from a RAN node over a radio interface. Moreover, modulesmay be stored in memory circuitry 305, and these modules may provideinstructions so that when instructions of a module are executed byprocessing circuitry 303, processing circuitry 303 performs respectiveoperations (e.g., operations discussed below with respect to ExampleEmbodiments relating to wireless devices).

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a radio accessnetwork RAN node 400 (also referred to as a network node, base station,eNodeB/eNB, gNodeB/gNB, etc.) of a Radio Access Network (RAN) configuredto provide cellular communication according to embodiments herein. (RANnode 400 may be provided, for example, as discussed below with respectto network node QQ160 of FIG. 14 .) As shown, the RAN node may includetransceiver circuitry 401 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g.,corresponding to portions of interface QQ190 of FIG. 14 ) including atransmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlinkradio communications with mobile terminals. The RAN node may includenetwork interface circuitry 407 (also referred to as a networkinterface, e.g., corresponding to portions of interface QQ190 of FIG. 14) configured to provide communications with other nodes (e.g., withother base stations) of the RAN and/or core network CN. The network nodemay also include processing circuitry 403 (also referred to as aprocessor, e.g., corresponding to processing circuitry QQ170) coupled tothe transceiver circuitry, and memory circuitry 405 (also referred to asmemory, e.g., corresponding to device readable medium QQ180 of FIG. 14 )coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory circuitry 405 mayinclude computer readable program code that when executed by theprocessing circuitry 403 causes the processing circuitry to performoperations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to otherembodiments, processing circuitry 403 may be defined to include memoryso that a separate memory circuitry is not required.

As discussed herein, operations of the RAN node may be performed byprocessing circuitry 403, network interface 407, and/or transceiver 401.For example, processing circuitry 403 may control transceiver 401 totransmit downlink communications through transceiver 401 over a radiointerface to one or more mobile terminals UEs and/or to receive uplinkcommunications through transceiver 401 from one or more mobile terminalsUEs over a radio interface. Similarly, processing circuitry 403 maycontrol network interface 407 to transmit communications through networkinterface 407 to one or more other network nodes and/or to receivecommunications through network interface from one or more other networknodes. Moreover, modules may be stored in memory 405, and these modulesmay provide instructions so that when instructions of a module areexecuted by processing circuitry 403, processing circuitry 403 performsrespective operations (e.g., operations discussed below with respect toExample Embodiments relating to RAN nodes).

According to some other embodiments, a network node may be implementedas a core network CN node without a transceiver. In such embodiments,transmission to a wireless device UE may be initiated by the networknode so that transmission to the wireless device is provided through anetwork node including a transceiver (e.g., through a base station orRAN node). According to embodiments where the network node is a RAN nodeincluding a transceiver, initiating transmission may includetransmitting through the transceiver.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a core network CNnode (e.g., an SMF node, an AMF node, etc.) of a communication networkconfigured to provide cellular communication according to embodimentsherein. As shown, the CN node may include network interface circuitry507 (also referred to as a network interface) configured to providecommunications with other nodes of the core network and/or the radioaccess network RAN. The CN node may also include a processing circuitry503 (also referred to as a processor) coupled to the network interfacecircuitry, and memory circuitry 505 (also referred to as memory) coupledto the processing circuitry. The memory circuitry 505 may includecomputer readable program code that when executed by the processingcircuitry 503 causes the processing circuitry to perform operationsaccording to embodiments disclosed herein. According to otherembodiments, processing circuitry 503 may be defined to include memoryso that a separate memory circuitry is not required.

As discussed herein, operations of the CN node may be performed byprocessing circuitry 503 and/or network interface circuitry 507. Forexample, processing circuitry 503 may control network interfacecircuitry 507 to transmit communications through network interfacecircuitry 507 to one or more other network nodes and/or to receivecommunications through network interface circuitry from one or moreother network nodes. Moreover, modules may be stored in memory 505, andthese modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of amodule are executed by processing circuitry 503, processing circuitry503 performs respective operations (e.g., operations discussed belowwith respect to Example Embodiments relating to core network nodes).

Even though MU-MIMO may introduce great spectrum efficiency improvement,it may also introduce significant computation costs, especially atgNB/eNB portions of the network.

A factor that may impact the computation cost include frequencygranularity that may be used in weights calculation (F). Normally, thefrequency granularity may be linear relative to computation cost O(F).For example, calculating MU-MIMO weights per 2 PRB, the computation costmay be 2 times more than calculating MU-MIMO weights per 4 PRB.

Another factor may include layer number. The square of L may be linearwith computation cost, i.e. O(F2). For example, calculating MU-MIMOweights for 16 layers may result in a computation cost that is 4 timesgreater than the cost of calculating MU-MIMO weights for 8 layers.

Frequency granularity for a weights calculation (F) is normallydetermined by delay spread for over-the-air propagation, and Layernumber (L) is determined by scheduler or traffic requirement.

For gNB/eNB, the worst case of F and L may be used to providecomputational capacity reservation. In other words, even in onetransmission, there are some UE devices that have relatively small delayspread, or there are limited layers to be scheduled. A hardware resourcemay be reserved for the worst case of F and worst case of L, which mayresult in an unnecessarily high hardware burden and that may beunnecessary for most real deployments.

Below, Table 1 provides a full computation capacity to fulfill MU layersand scheduling blocks, such as to achieve 4 UE devices and maximum of 2layers per UE device. Further, scheduling is based on 4PRB granularity.Based on above statement, gNB/eNB tries to fulfill the peak X-axis andY-axis capacity. The example shows total 4-layer weighting operation, inwhich UE3 has 2 layers. In this case, it is assumed that UE devices allhave a small delay spread (in total, weights in the frequency domain arecalculated 4 times).

TABLE 1 Calculate 4-layer Calculate 4-layer Calculate 4-layer Calculate4-layer Precoding-Weight 1 Precoding-Weight 1 Precoding-Weight 1Precoding-Weight 1 time for RB Group 1 time for RB Group 2 time for RBGroup 3 time for RB Group 4 RB Group 1 RB Group 2 RB Group 3 RB Group 4UE3 Layer4 PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRBPRB UE2 Layer3 Layer2 UE1 Layer1

Some embodiments provide that an efficient and scalable approach tooptimize cooperation between weights calculation and Layer number may beprovided. For example, some embodiments are directed to using a balancemethod to flexibly switch hardware capability between frequencygranularity and layer number. For example, if one or several UE deviceshas very large delay spread, this UE device can be cut into multiplevirtual UEs, which may increase the layer number to reduce the requiredfrequency granularity. If multiple MU-MIMO UE devices have relativelysmall delay spread, these UE devices may be grouped together andgenerate one virtual UE. In this manner, the layer number may bedecreased with an increased frequency granularity.

By using the concept of one or more virtual UEs, a gNB/eNB may set afixed frequency granularity and layer number in hardware. The gNB/eNBcan always runtime shape the real time requirement into hardware definedform and may keep best utilization of frequency granularity and thelayer number capability.

Embodiments herein may provide a scalable solution to shape frequencygranularity and layer number to fit hardware capacity. For example,reference is now made to FIG. 2 , which includes plots illustratingchannel impulse responses and maximum delay spreads of three differentUEs in a MU-MIMO according to some embodiments. As illustrated, UEdevices UE1 and UE2 each includes a channel impulse response that isoccurs in a relatively narrow time interval. Thus, the maximum delayspread is relatively narrow. In contrast, UE3 has a channel impulseresponse that requires a significantly larger time interval than eitherof UE1 and UE2. Thus, the maximum delay spread requirement for UE3 issignificantly larger that that of UE1 and/or UE2. In some embodiments,the scheduling of a UE device with a large channel spread requirementmay be accomplished by dividing the scheduling into two or moredifferent virtual UEs that may each have lower channel spreadrequirements.

As used herein, the term virtual UE may refer to a scalable dynamic datastructure that is configured to receive and/or transmit data and/orsignaling corresponding to one or more UE devices in a MU-MIMOconfiguration. The virtual UE may include data types and/or operationscorresponding to one or more UE devices. For example, scheduling datasuch as layer identification and/or frequency granularity may beincluded in a virtual UE. Thus, one or more physical UE devices can besplit and/or merged and considered as one or more virtual UEs (by anetwork node (e.g., eNB, gNB)) for the purpose of scheduling, which canallow the network node the ability to dynamically adjust frequencygranularity and/or the number of layers (e.g., to reduce computationcosts, to improve performance).

As illustrated UE3 has very large delay spread, which may be itsrequired high frequency granularity, while other UEs (UE1 and UE2) haverelative low delay spread. In such cases, the scheduling of UE3 can bedivided into multiple virtual UEs. Below is an example of this largedelay spread UE (UE3), and this UE will be co-scheduled with one or moreof the other UE devices, UE1 and UE2. As provided in Table 2 below, thefine frequency granularity is not necessary for UE2 and UE 1 since theyhave low delay spreads.

If gNB/eNB wants to support UE3 as MU-MIMO co-scheduled UE, then, it mayrequire very fine frequency granularity processing to avoid interferenceleakage to UE1 and UE2. If the UE devices are processed togetherincluding UE3 with the large delay spread (in total calculate theweights in frequency domain 8 times), such scheduling may be inefficientsince UE1 and UE2 have lower delay spreads.

TABLE 2 Calculate Calculate Calculate Calculate Calculate CalculateCalculate Calculate 4-layer 4-layer 4-layer 4-layer 4-layer 4-layer4-layer 4-layer Precoding- Precoding- Precoding- Precoding- Precoding-Precoding- Precoding- Precoding- Weight 1 Weight 1 Weight 1 Weight 1Weight 1 Weight 1 Weight 1 Weight 1 time for RB time for RB time for RBtime for RB time for RB time for RB time for RB time for RB Group 1Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 RB Group 1 RBGroup 2 RB Group 3 RB Group 4 RB Group 5 RB Group 6 RB Group 7 RB Group8 UE3 Layer4 PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRBPRB UE2 Layer3 Layer2 UE1 Layer1

Reference is now made to FIG. 3 , which includes plots illustratingchannel impulse responses of a UE including a large maximum delay spreadthat is divided into multiple virtual UEs having reduced maximum delayspread according to some embodiments herein. As illustrated, UE3 asdescribed above in reference to FIG. 2 includes a large maximum delayspread, which may result in scheduling inefficiencies in the MU-MIMOconfiguration. In some embodiments, the scheduling of UE3 may be splitinto two virtual UEs, UE3 a and UE3 b, which may be aggregately moreefficiently scheduled.

The overall scheduling of UE3 is scaled and the prolonged schedulinggranularity may be reduced by splitting UE3 into 2 different virtualUEs. For example, Table 3 below provides the layers and schedulingblocks with UE3 being replaced by virtual UEs UE3 a and UE3 b.

TABLE 3 Calculate 4-layer Calculate 4-layer Calculate 4-layer Calculate4-layer Precoding-Weight 1 Precoding-Weight 1 Precoding-Weight 1Precoding-Weight 1 time for RB Group 1 time for RB Group 2 time for RBGroup 3 time for RB Group 4 RB Group 1 RB Group 2 RB Group 3 RB Group 4UE3a Layer5 PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRBPRB UE3b Layer4 UE2 Layer3 Layer2 UE1 Layer1

As provided above, even though the number of layers may be increased,the frequency granularity may be reduced to ⅓ or even ¼ of the originalvalue. In this manner, the gNB/eNB may benefit by reducing theprocessing load.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 , which includes plots illustratingchannel impulse responses of a UEs having small delay spreads that aremerged into a single virtual UE according to some embodiments herein. Asillustrated, UE1 and Ue2 may each include small delay spreads relativeto the delay spread that may be available from the gNB/eNB. In suchembodiments, UE1 and UE2 may be merged to generate virtual UE 1+2,which, in aggregate, is still within the maximum delay spread.

TABLE 4 Calculate Calculate Calculate Calculate Calculate CalculateCalculate Calculate 2-layer 2-layer 2-layer 2-layer 2-layer 2-layer2-layer 2-layer Precoding- Precoding- Precoding- Precoding- Precoding-Precoding- Precoding- Precoding- Weight 1 Weight 1 Weight 1 Weight 1Weight 1 Weight 1 Weight 1 Weight 1 time for RB time for RB time for RBtime for RB time for RB time for RB time for RB time for RB Group 1Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 RB Group 1 RBGroup 2 RB Group 3 RB Group 4 RB Group 5 RB Group 6 RB Group 7 RB Group8 UE3 Layer2 PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRB PRBPRB UE1 + UE2 Layer1

According to embodiments herein, MU-MIMO weights calculations mayadaptively fit a variety of frequency granularity and layer quantitiesin contrast with being constrained to consider only peak frequencygranularity and peak layer number. Data corresponding to a co-schedulingexample is provided below in Table 5.

UE1 UE2 UE3 UE4 UE5 Required 1 PRB 10 PRB 10 PRB 10 PRB 3 PRB FrequencyGranularity

For example, in the absence of embodiments herein, a co-scheduling ofUEs 1-5 would result in a 1PRB level of granularity. In accordance withembodiments herein, UE1 could be divided into virtual UEs UE1 a and UE1b and can support 3 PRB granularity. UE2, UE3 and UE4 may be merged intoUE234 and can support 3PRB in granularity and UE5 may be unchanged andcan support 3PRB in granularity. From the cell level, this type ofreshaping may provide that 3PRB granularity is sufficient and that only3 layers are required for this example.

In some embodiments, a weights calculation details for one UE devicethat is divided into two virtual UEs is provided. For gNB/eNB, there aremultiple possible linear methods for calculate beam forming weights.Examples include zero forcing criteria and/or MMSE criteria, amongothers, and may be principally the same for virtual UE concepts. A zeroforcing criteria for downlink MU-MIMO example provides that the UEdevice channel impulse response is H1, H2, and H3 and that UE1 isdivided into virtual UEs identified as UE11 and UE12 and thatH1=H11+H12, and |H11|>>|H12|

Weights for UE12 may be determined by constructing an interferencechannel impulse response as

$H_{intf} = {\begin{bmatrix}H_{11} \\H_{12} \\H_{3}\end{bmatrix}.}$

An interference matrix may be R₂=H_(intf) (H_(intf))^(H).

The weights UE2 W2=(H2)H*(R2)−1 are calculated for U12. As providedherein, (.)^(H) means conjugate transpose operation.

Weights for UE11 may be determined by constructing an interferencechannel impulse response as

$H_{intf} = {\begin{bmatrix}H_{2} \\ \\H_{3}\end{bmatrix}.}$

An interference matrix may be R₁=H_(intf) (H_(intf))^(H).

The weights UE1 W₁=(H₁₁)^(H)*(R₁)⁻¹ are calculated for UE11.

In some embodiments, beam forming weights for multiple UEs that aremerged into a single virtual UE may be provided.

In this example, the MU-MIMO may extend to four UE devices, UE1, UE2,UE3, and UE4. Still using the zero forcing criteria, the channel impulseresponse is H1, H2, H3 and H4 (in frequency domain). UE2 and UE3 maymerge into one virtual UE, i.e. UE23, and UE 3 may be added withdesignated delay T. Then, H₂₃=H₂+exp(j*T*freq)*H₃, where “freq” refersto the channel impulse response of a specific frequency position.

UE4 and UE3 can also be merge into one virtual UE, i.e. UE34, and UE 3may be added with a designated delay T. Then, H₃₄=H₄+exp(j*T*freq)*H₃,where “freq” refers to the channel impulse response of a specificfrequency position.

Then the weights calculations described above may be used to determinethe final beam forming weights of the merged virtual UE. According toembodiments herein, a balance between layer and frequency granularitymay be achieved. As provided in the examples herein, MU-MIMO weightscalculations can adaptively fit various frequency granularities andlayer numbers, in contrast with considering the peak frequencygranularity and peak layer number.

Processing flow may provide that the output UE max delay spread is T andthat if T>Tmax, which is the maximum delay spread that the gNB/eNBsupports, then the UE device will be divided into multiple virtual UEs.

If T<=KB*Tmax, where KB is a factor, such as, for example, 0.3, then theUE device can be merged with other two UE devices as a virtual UE. Insome embodiments, the UE device is merged with two or more Ue devices toform a virtual UE.

If KB*Tmax<T<=KA*Tmax, where KA is a factor, such as, for example, 0.4,then the UE device can be merged with another UE device as a virtual UE.In some embodiments, the UE device can be merged with only one other UEdevice to form a virtual UE (e.g., if KB*Tmax<T<=KA*Tmax).

Further, individual and/or groups of UE devices may be divided and/ormerged into multiple corresponding virtual UEs. In some embodiments,virtual UEs can be divided and/or merged based on further processing.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5 , which is a flow chart illustratingoperations for a network node according to some embodiments herein. Asillustrated, multiple UE devices (e.g., UE1, UE2) 100 may be used in aMU-MIMO configuration. For example, UE1 100-1 and UE2 100-2 may be usedin the MU-MIMO configuration. A network node, such as a RAN node, mayreceive valid channel data corresponding to UE1 100-1 and UE2 100-2.Based on the channel data, one or more of the physical UE devices may beconverted (blocks 200-1, 200-2) into one or more virtual UEs 150.

In some embodiments, one or more of the virtual UEs 150 may be used toperform the normal MU-MIMO scheduling 160. Although illustrated asproviding that all of the virtual UEs 150 are used in the MU-MIMOscheduling, such example is non-limiting as one or more of the virtualUEs 150 may not be scheduled. Further, although illustrated as none ofthe physical UE devices 100-1, 100-2 are not used in the normalscheduling, such example is non-limiting as one or more of the physicalUE devices 100-1, 100-2 may be used in combination with one or more ofthe virtual UEs 150 in the MU-MIMO scheduling.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6 , which is a flow chart illustratingoperations for converting physical UEs into virtual UEs according tooperations disclosed in FIG. 5 above according to some embodimentsherein. At block 602, channel information is received from UE1 100-1. Atblock 604, it is determined if the maximum delay spread corresponding toUE1 100-1 is greater than the maximum delay spread that is supported bya network node, such as a RAN node.

If the maximum delay spread of UE1 100-1 is greater than the maximumdelay spread supported by the network node, then at block 606 thescheduling of UE1 100-1 may be divided into multiple virtual UEs UEa andUEb. The virtual UEs UEa and UEb may be scheduled along with othervirtual UEs and/or physical UEs 100 that may be co-scheduled.

If the maximum delay spread of UE1 100-1 is not greater than the maximumdelay spread supported by the network node then at block 612 it isdetermined if the maximum delay spread corresponding to UE1 100-1 isless than a first delay spread threshold that may be determined as themaximum delay spread supported by the network node multiplied by a firstfactor that is greater than zero and less than 1. In some embodiments,the first factor may include a value such as, for example, 0.3. However,such embodiments are non-limiting as the first factor may include avalue that is more than 0.3 or less than 0.3.

If the maximum delay spread corresponding to UE1 100-1 is less than thefirst delay spread threshold then the scheduling of UE1 100-1 may bemerged (block 620) with the scheduling of two other physical UE devicesto generate a virtual UE 150 a.

If the maximum delay spread corresponding to UE1 100-1 is not less thanthe first delay spread threshold then at block 614 it is determined ifthe maximum delay spread corresponding to UE1 100-1 is less than asecond delay spread threshold that may be determined as the maximumdelay spread supported by the network node multiplied by a second factorthat is greater than the first factor and less than 1. In someembodiments, the second factor may include a value such as, for example,0.4. However, such embodiments are non-limiting as the second factor mayinclude a value that is more than 0.4 or less than 0.4.

If the maximum delay spread corresponding to UE1 100-1 is less than thesecond delay spread threshold then the scheduling of UE1 100-1 may bemerged (block 618) with the scheduling of one other physical UE deviceto generate a virtual UE 150 a. If the maximum delay spreadcorresponding to UE1 100-1 is not less than the second delay spreadthreshold then at block 616, the physical UE1 100-1 may be co-scheduledwith other physical UE devices and/or virtual UEs.

As provided above, embodiments herein provide co-scheduling in theMU-MIMO configuration in which virtual UEs are generated to dividescheduling corresponding to some UE devices and merge scheduling inwhich some UE devices are merged to generate virtual UE devices.

Brief reference is now made to FIG. 7 , which is a flow chartillustrating operations for converting physical UEs into virtual UEsaccording to operations disclosed in FIG. 5 above according to someembodiments herein. The operations of FIG. 7 correspond to thescheduling of UE2 and otherwise may include the same operationsdescribed above regarding FIG. 6 , which will not be repeated herein.The normal MU-MIMO scheduling 160 is common to both FIG. 6 and FIG. 7and thus may be performed as a single co-scheduling operation based onphysical UE devices and/or virtual UEs corresponding to both UE1 andUE2.

While the operations illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 are illustrated asbeing performed in a particular order, it should be appreciated that theoperations can be performed in other orders and still be within thescope of the present disclosure. For example, a device can determinewhether the above-described conditions for the first threshold, secondthreshold, and/or maximum threshold are met in any order.

Reference is now made to FIG. 11 , is a flow chart illustratingoperations of a network node according to some embodiments herein.Operations herein include receiving valid channel data from a pluralityof user equipment, UE, devices (block 1102). The channel data mayinclude channel impulse response distribution data corresponding to theplurality of UE devices. Block 1104 includes generating a virtual UEbased on a first delay spread of a first UE device of the UE devices ina multiple user multiple input multiple output, MU-MIMO, schedulingconfiguration.

Some embodiments further include determining a maximum delay spreadsupported by the RAN node (block 1106) and comparing the first delayspread of the at least one UE device to the maximum delay spread (block1108).

In some embodiments, generating the virtual UE includes dividingscheduling of the first UE device into multiple virtual UEs (e.g., twoor more) based on the first delay spread being greater than the maximumdelay spread (block 1110). In response to the first delay spread notbeing greater than the maximum delay spread (block 1112), operationsfurther include comparing the first delay spread to a first delay spreadthreshold (block 1114).

In some embodiments, the first delay spread threshold is determined asthe maximum delay spread multiplied by a first factor that is greaterthan zero and less than 1. Some embodiments provide that generating thevirtual UE includes merging scheduling of the first UE device with morethan one UE device of the multiple UE devices to generate the virtual UEbased on the first delay spread being less than the first delay spreadthreshold (block 1116).

In response to the first delay spread not being less than the firstdelay spread threshold, operations include comparing the delay spread ofthe first UE device to a second delay spread threshold (block 1118). Insome embodiments, the second delay spread threshold may be determined asthe maximum delay spread multiplied by a second factor that is greaterthan the first factor and less than 1.

Block 1122 provides that generating the virtual UE includes mergingscheduling of the first UE device with scheduling of one UE device ofthe multiple UE devices to generate the virtual UE based on the firstdelay spread being greater than the first delay spread threshold andless than the second delay spread threshold. In response to the firstdelay spread being greater than the second delay spread threshold, thephysical UE device may be scheduled (block 1120).

In some embodiments, generating the virtual UE includes dividingscheduling of the second UE device into a plurality of virtual UEs basedon the second delay spread being greater than the maximum delay spread.

In some embodiments, operations further include the method furthercomprising comparing the second delay spread to a second delay spreadthreshold that is determined as the maximum delay spread multiplied by asecond factor that is greater than the first factor and less than 1.Some non-limiting embodiments provide that the comparing is responsiveto the second delay spread not being greater than the maximum delayspread. Some embodiments provide that generating the virtual UE includesmerging the scheduling of the second UE device with the scheduling ofthe first UE device or another UE device in the multiple UE devices togenerate the virtual UE based on the second delay spread being less thanthe first delay spread threshold.

In some embodiments, operations include comparing the delay spread ofthe second UE device to a second delay spread threshold that isdetermined as the maximum delay spread multiplied by a second factorthat is greater than the first factor and less than 1. In somenon-limiting embodiments, the comparing is performed responsive to thesecond delay spread not being less than the first delay spreadthreshold. Generating the virtual UE includes merging the scheduling ofthe second UE device with the scheduling of the first UE device and/ormore than one UE device of the UE devices to generate the virtual UEbased on the second delay spread being greater than the first delayspread threshold and less than the second delay spread threshold.

Reference is now made to FIG. 12 , which is a flow chart illustratingoperations of a network node according to some embodiments herein.Operations herein include receiving valid channel data from a pluralityof user equipment, UE, devices (block 1202). The channel data mayinclude channel impulse response distribution data corresponding tomultiple UE devices. Block 1204 includes generating a virtual UE basedon a first delay spread of a first UE device of the UE devices in amultiple user multiple input multiple output, MU-MIMO, schedulingconfiguration.

Some embodiments further include determining a maximum delay spreadsupported by the RAN node (block 2106) and comparing the first delayspread of the at least one UE device to the maximum delay spread (block1208).

Operations include calculating multiple antenna beam forming weightscorresponding to the first virtual UE and the second virtual UE (block1210). In some embodiments, calculating the antenna beam forming weightsincludes dividing the channel impulse values into a first channelimpulse value corresponding to the first virtual UE and a second channelimpulse value corresponding to the second virtual UE.

Some embodiments provide that calculating the antenna beam formingweights includes generating, for each of the first virtual UE and thesecond virtual UE, an interference channel impulse response (block1212). Some embodiments provide that calculating the antenna beamforming weights further includes generating, using the interferencechannel impulse response for each of the first virtual UE and the secondvirtual UE, an interference matrix (block 1214) and calculating theantenna beam forming weights using the interference matrix and theinterference channel impulse response (block 1216).

In some embodiments, calculating the beam forming weights is performedusing a zero forcing criteria.

Reference is now made to FIG. 13 , which is a flow chart illustratingoperations of a network node according to some embodiments herein.Operations herein include receiving valid channel data from a pluralityof user equipment, UE, devices (block 1302). The channel data mayinclude channel impulse response distribution data corresponding tomultiple UE devices. Block 1304 includes generating a virtual UE basedon a first delay spread of a first UE device of the UE devices in amultiple user multiple input multiple output, MU-MIMO, schedulingconfiguration.

Some embodiments include determining a first delay spread threshold thatis less than a maximum delay spread that is supported by the RAN node(block 1306). Operations further include comparing the first delayspread of the first UE device to the first delay spread threshold (block1308). In some embodiments, generating the virtual UE includes mergingscheduling of the first UE device with scheduling of another UE deviceof the UE devices based on the delay spread of the first UE device beingless than the first delay spread threshold.

In some embodiments, the virtual UE includes channel impulse responsescorresponding to multiple ones of the UE devices. Some embodimentsinclude generating (1309 a time delay between a first channel impulseresponse and a second channel impulse response.

Some embodiments include calculating multiple antenna beam formingweights corresponding to the virtual UE (block 1310). In someembodiments, calculating the antenna beam forming weights includesdividing the channel impulse values into a channel impulse valuecorresponding to the virtual UE. Some embodiments provide thatcalculating the antenna beam forming weights further includesgenerating, for the virtual UE, an interference channel impulse response(block 1312) and generating, using the interference channel impulseresponse, an interference matrix (block 1314). Some embodiments includecalculating the antenna beam forming weights using the interferencematrix and the interference channel impulse response.

Explanations are provided below for various abbreviations/acronyms usedin the present disclosure.

Abbreviation Explanation 3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project 5G 5thGeneration 5GC 5G Core network AMF Access and Mobility managementFunction AS Access Stratum BRSRP Beam level Reference Signal ReceivedPower BRSRQ Beam level Reference Signal Received Quality BSINR Beamlevel Signal to Noise Ratio CCO Coverage Capacity Optimization CEControl Element CBRA Contention Based Random Access CFRA Contention FreeRandom Access CHO Conditional Handover CN Core Network C-RNTI Cell RadioNetwork Temporary Identifier CSI-RS Channel State Information ReferenceSignal CU Central Unit dB decibel DCI Downlink Control Indication DCDual Connectivity DL Downlink DU Distributed Unit eMTC enhanced MachineType Communication eNB eNodeB eNodeB Evolved NodeB EPC Evolved PacketCore EUTRA/ Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access E-UTRA EUTRAN/Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network E-UTRAN FFS ForFurther Study gNB/gNodeB A radio base station in NR. GERAN GSM/EDGERadio Access Network GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System GPRSGeneral Packet Radio Service GTP GPRS Tunneling Protocol HARQ HybridAutomatic Repeat Request HO Handover IE Information Element IoT Internetof Things LTE Long Term Evolution L2 Layer 2 L3 Layer 3 MAC MediumAccess Control MAC CE MAC Control Element MCG Master Cell Group MDTMinimization of drive tests MME Mobility Management Entity MSG MessageMRO Mobility Robustness Optimization NAS Non-access Stratum NB-IoTNarrow Band Internet of Things NG The interface/reference point betweenNG-RAN and 5GC. NGAP Application Protocol/Next Generation ApplicationProtocol NG-RAN Next Generation Radio Access Network NR New Radio OAMOperation and Management PCell Primary Cell (i.e. the primary cell of aMCG) PLMN Public Land Mobile Network PRB Physical resource Block PSCellPrimary Secondary Cell (i.e. the primary cell of a SCG) QoS Quality ofService RA Random Access RAR Random Access Response RACH Random AccessChannel RAN Radio Access Network RAT Radio Access Technology RLC RadioLink Control RLF Radio Link Failure RRC Radio Resource Control RRM RadioResource Management RS Reference Signal RSRP Reference Signal ReceivedPower RSRQ Reference Signal Received Quality RTT Round Trip Time S1 Theinterface/reference point between E-UTRAN and EPC. RSSI Received SignalStrength Indicator SCell Secondary Cell SCG Secondary Cell Group SC-PTMSingle Cell Point to Multipoint SINR Signal to Interference and NoiseRatio SpCell Special Cell, i.e. either a PCell or a PSCell. SN SequenceNumber SRB Signaling Radio Bearer SSB Synchronization Signal Block TATiming Adjustment/Advance TB Transmission Block TCE Trace CollectionEntity TS Technical Specification UE User Equipment UL UplinkAdditional explanation is provided below.

Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according totheir ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless adifferent meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context inwhich it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus,component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referringto at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means,step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methodsdisclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact orderdisclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following orpreceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step mustfollow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodimentsdisclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, whereverappropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may applyto any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features andadvantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from thefollowing description.

Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described morefully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments,however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosedherein, the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limitedto only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments areprovided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter tothose skilled in the art.

FIG. 14 illustrates a wireless network in accordance with someembodiments.

Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in anyappropriate type of system using any suitable components, theembodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wirelessnetwork, such as the example wireless network illustrated in FIG. 14 .For simplicity, the wireless network of FIG. 14 only depicts networkQQ106, network nodes QQ160 and QQ160 b, and WDs QQ110, QQ110 b, andQQ110 c (also referred to as mobile terminals). In practice, a wirelessnetwork may further include any additional elements suitable to supportcommunication between wireless devices or between a wireless device andanother communication device, such as a landline telephone, a serviceprovider, or any other network node or end device. Of the illustratedcomponents, network node QQ160 and wireless device (WD) QQ110 aredepicted with additional detail. The wireless network may providecommunication and other types of services to one or more wirelessdevices to facilitate the wireless devices' access to and/or use of theservices provided by, or via, the wireless network.

The wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type ofcommunication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio networkor other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wirelessnetwork may be configured to operate according to specific standards orother types of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particularembodiments of the wireless network may implement communicationstandards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution(LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless localarea network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and/orany other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as theWorldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth,Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.

Network QQ106 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks,IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet datanetworks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local areanetworks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks,wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks toenable communication between devices.

Network node QQ160 and WD QQ110 comprise various components described inmore detail below. These components work together in order to providenetwork node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providingwireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments,the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wirelessnetworks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices,relay stations, and/or any other components or systems that mayfacilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signalswhether via wired or wireless connections.

As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured,arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with awireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in thewireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to thewireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration)in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are notlimited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), basestations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs(eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations may be categorized based onthe amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, theirtransmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto basestations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro basestations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor nodecontrolling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (orall) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralizeddigital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to asRemote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not beintegrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of adistributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in adistributed antenna system (DAS). Yet further examples of network nodesinclude multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, networkcontrollers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base stationcontrollers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmissionpoints, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities(MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SONnodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs. As anotherexample, a network node may be a virtual network node as described inmore detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may representany suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged,and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with accessto the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless devicethat has accessed the wireless network.

In FIG. 14 , network node QQ160 includes processing circuitry QQ170,device readable medium QQ180, interface QQ190, auxiliary equipmentQQ184, power source QQ186, power circuitry QQ187, and antenna QQ162.Although network node QQ160 illustrated in the example wireless networkof Figure QQ11 may represent a device that includes the illustratedcombination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprisenetwork nodes with different combinations of components. It is to beunderstood that a network node comprises any suitable combination ofhardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features,functions and methods disclosed herein. Moreover, while the componentsof network node QQ160 are depicted as single boxes located within alarger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network nodemay comprise multiple different physical components that make up asingle illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium QQ180 maycomprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).

Similarly, network node QQ160 may be composed of multiple physicallyseparate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or aBTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their ownrespective components. In certain scenarios in which network node QQ160comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components),one or more of the separate components may be shared among severalnetwork nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeB's.In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in someinstances be considered a single separate network node. In someembodiments, network node QQ160 may be configured to support multipleradio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some componentsmay be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium QQ180 for thedifferent RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the sameantenna QQ162 may be shared by the RATs). Network node QQ160 may alsoinclude multiple sets of the various illustrated components fordifferent wireless technologies integrated into network node QQ160, suchas, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wirelesstechnologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into thesame or different chip or set of chips and other components withinnetwork node QQ160.

Processing circuitry QQ170 is configured to perform any determining,calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations)described herein as being provided by a network node. These operationsperformed by processing circuitry QQ170 may include processinginformation obtained by processing circuitry QQ170 by, for example,converting the obtained information into other information, comparingthe obtained information or converted information to information storedin the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based onthe obtained information or converted information, and as a result ofsaid processing making a determination.

Processing circuitry QQ170 may comprise a combination of one or more ofa microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit,digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, fieldprogrammable gate array, or any other suitable computing device,resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logicoperable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other networknode QQ160 components, such as device readable medium QQ180, networknode QQ160 functionality. For example, processing circuitry QQ170 mayexecute instructions stored in device readable medium QQ180 or in memorywithin processing circuitry QQ170. Such functionality may includeproviding any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefitsdiscussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry QQ170 mayinclude a system on a chip (SOC).

In some embodiments, processing circuitry QQ170 may include one or moreof radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry QQ172 and basebandprocessing circuitry QQ174. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF)transceiver circuitry QQ172 and baseband processing circuitry QQ174 maybe on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radiounits and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RFtransceiver circuitry QQ172 and baseband processing circuitry QQ174 maybe on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality describedherein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or othersuch network device may be performed by processing circuitry QQ170executing instructions stored on device readable medium QQ180 or memorywithin processing circuitry QQ170. In alternative embodiments, some orall of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry QQ170without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete devicereadable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of thoseembodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readablestorage medium or not, processing circuitry QQ170 can be configured toperform the described functionality. The benefits provided by suchfunctionality are not limited to processing circuitry QQ170 alone or toother components of network node QQ160, but are enjoyed by network nodeQQ160 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless networkgenerally.

Device readable medium QQ180 may comprise any form of volatile ornon-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation,persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory,magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-onlymemory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removablestorage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or aDigital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile,non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devicesthat store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used byprocessing circuitry QQ170. Device readable medium QQ180 may store anysuitable instructions, data or information, including a computerprogram, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules,code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executedby processing circuitry QQ170 and, utilized by network node QQ160.Device readable medium QQ180 may be used to store any calculations madeby processing circuitry QQ170 and/or any data received via interfaceQQ190. In some embodiments, processing circuitry QQ170 and devicereadable medium QQ180 may be considered to be integrated.

Interface QQ190 is used in the wired or wireless communication ofsignalling and/or data between network node QQ160, network QQ106, and/orWDs QQ110. As illustrated, interface QQ190 comprises port(s)/terminal(s)QQ194 to send and receive data, for example to and from network QQ106over a wired connection. Interface QQ190 also includes radio front endcircuitry QQ192 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a partof, antenna QQ162. Radio front end circuitry QQ192 comprises filtersQQ198 and amplifiers QQ196. Radio front end circuitry QQ192 may beconnected to antenna QQ162 and processing circuitry QQ170. Radio frontend circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicatedbetween antenna QQ162 and processing circuitry QQ170. Radio front endcircuitry QQ192 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to othernetwork nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front endcircuitry QQ192 may convert the digital data into a radio signal havingthe appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination offilters QQ198 and/or amplifiers QQ196. The radio signal may then betransmitted via antenna QQ162. Similarly, when receiving data, antennaQQ162 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digitaldata by radio front end circuitry QQ192. The digital data may be passedto processing circuitry QQ170. In other embodiments, the interface maycomprise different components and/or different combinations ofcomponents.

In certain alternative embodiments, network node QQ160 may not includeseparate radio front end circuitry QQ192, instead, processing circuitryQQ170 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected toantenna QQ162 without separate radio front end circuitry QQ192.Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitryQQ172 may be considered a part of interface QQ190. In still otherembodiments, interface QQ190 may include one or more ports or terminalsQQ194, radio front end circuitry QQ192, and RF transceiver circuitryQQ172, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface QQ190 maycommunicate with baseband processing circuitry QQ174, which is part of adigital unit (not shown).

Antenna QQ162 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays,configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna QQ162 may becoupled to radio front end circuitry QQ190 and may be any type ofantenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signalswirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna QQ162 may comprise one or moreomni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receiveradio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. Anomni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signalsin any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radiosignals from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna maybe a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in arelatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than oneantenna may be referred to as MIMO. In certain embodiments, antennaQQ162 may be separate from network node QQ160 and may be connectable tonetwork node QQ160 through an interface or port.

Antenna QQ162, interface QQ190, and/or processing circuitry QQ170 may beconfigured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtainingoperations described herein as being performed by a network node. Anyinformation, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device,another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly,antenna QQ162, interface QQ190, and/or processing circuitry QQ170 may beconfigured to perform any transmitting operations described herein asbeing performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signalsmay be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or anyother network equipment.

Power circuitry QQ187 may comprise, or be coupled to, power managementcircuitry and is configured to supply the components of network nodeQQ160 with power for performing the functionality described herein.Power circuitry QQ187 may receive power from power source QQ186. Powersource QQ186 and/or power circuitry QQ187 may be configured to providepower to the various components of network node QQ160 in a form suitablefor the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current levelneeded for each respective component). Power source QQ186 may either beincluded in, or external to, power circuitry QQ187 and/or network nodeQQ160. For example, network node QQ160 may be connectable to an externalpower source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry orinterface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power sourcesupplies power to power circuitry QQ187. As a further example, powersource QQ186 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery orbattery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitryQQ187. The battery may provide backup power should the external powersource fail. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices,may also be used.

Alternative embodiments of network node QQ160 may include additionalcomponents beyond those shown in Figure FIG. 14 that may be responsiblefor providing certain aspects of the network node's functionality,including any of the functionality described herein and/or anyfunctionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein.For example, network node QQ160 may include user interface equipment toallow input of information into network node QQ160 and to allow outputof information from network node QQ160. This may allow a user to performdiagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions fornetwork node QQ160.

As used herein, wireless device (WD) refers to a device capable,configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly withnetwork nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, theterm WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE).Communicating wirelessly may involve transmitting and/or receivingwireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infraredwaves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying informationthrough air. In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to transmitand/or receive information without direct human interaction. Forinstance, a WD may be designed to transmit information to a network on apredetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event,or in response to requests from the network. Examples of a WD include,but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, avoice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktopcomputer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless cameras, agaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance,a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, atablet, a laptop, a laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop-mountedequipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer-premise equipment(CPE). a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, etc. A WD may supportdevice-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPPstandard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V),vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may inthis case be referred to as a D2D communication device. As yet anotherspecific example, in an Internet of Things (IoT) scenario, a WD mayrepresent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/ormeasurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/ormeasurements to another WD and/or a network node. The WD may in thiscase be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3GPP contextbe referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the WD maybe a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT)standard. Particular examples of such machines or devices are sensors,metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home orpersonal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, televisions, etc.) personalwearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other scenarios, aWD may represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable ofmonitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functionsassociated with its operation. A WD as described above may represent theendpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may bereferred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a WD as described abovemay be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobiledevice or a mobile terminal.

As illustrated, wireless device QQ110 includes antenna QQ111, interfaceQQ114, processing circuitry QQ120, device readable medium QQ130, userinterface equipment QQ132, auxiliary equipment QQ134, power source QQ136and power circuitry QQ137. WD QQ110 may include multiple sets of one ormore of the illustrated components for different wireless technologiessupported by WD QQ110, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi,WiMAX, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. Thesewireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chipsor set of chips as other components within WD QQ110.

Antenna QQ111 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays,configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected tointerface QQ114. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna QQ111 maybe separate from WD QQ110 and be connectable to WD QQ110 through aninterface or port. Antenna QQ111, interface QQ114, and/or processingcircuitry QQ120 may be configured to perform any receiving ortransmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Anyinformation, data and/or signals may be received from a network nodeand/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/orantenna QQ111 may be considered an interface.

As illustrated, interface QQ114 comprises radio front end circuitryQQ112 and antenna QQ111. Radio front end circuitry QQ112 comprises oneor more filters QQ118 and amplifiers QQ116. Radio front end circuitryQQ114 is connected to antenna QQ111 and processing circuitry QQ120, andis configured to condition signals communicated between antenna QQ111and processing circuitry QQ120. Radio front end circuitry QQ112 may becoupled to or a part of antenna QQ111. In some embodiments, WD QQ110 maynot include separate radio front end circuitry QQ112; rather, processingcircuitry QQ120 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may beconnected to antenna QQ111. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or allof RF transceiver circuitry QQ122 may be considered a part of interfaceQQ114. Radio front end circuitry QQ112 may receive digital data that isto be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection.Radio front end circuitry QQ112 may convert the digital data into aradio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parametersusing a combination of filters QQ118 and/or amplifiers QQ116. The radiosignal may then be transmitted via antenna QQ111. Similarly, whenreceiving data, antenna QQ111 may collect radio signals which are thenconverted into digital data by radio front end circuitry QQ112. Thedigital data may be passed to processing circuitry QQ120. In otherembodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/ordifferent combinations of components.

Processing circuitry QQ120 may comprise a combination of one or more ofa microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit,digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, fieldprogrammable gate array, or any other suitable computing device,resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logicoperable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other WD QQ110components, such as device readable medium QQ130, WD QQ110functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of thevarious wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example,processing circuitry QQ120 may execute instructions stored in devicereadable medium QQ130 or in memory within processing circuitry QQ120 toprovide the functionality disclosed herein.

As illustrated, processing circuitry QQ120 includes one or more of RFtransceiver circuitry QQ122, baseband processing circuitry QQ124, andapplication processing circuitry QQ126. In other embodiments, theprocessing circuitry may comprise different components and/or differentcombinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitryQQ120 of WD QQ110 may comprise a SOC. In some embodiments, RFtransceiver circuitry QQ122, baseband processing circuitry QQ124, andapplication processing circuitry QQ126 may be on separate chips or setsof chips. In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processingcircuitry QQ124 and application processing circuitry QQ126 may becombined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitryQQ122 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In still alternativeembodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry QQ122 and basebandprocessing circuitry QQ124 may be on the same chip or set of chips, andapplication processing circuitry QQ126 may be on a separate chip or setof chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or all of RFtransceiver circuitry QQ122, baseband processing circuitry QQ124, andapplication processing circuitry QQ126 may be combined in the same chipor set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry QQ122 maybe a part of interface QQ114. RF transceiver circuitry QQ122 maycondition RF signals for processing circuitry QQ120.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality describedherein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processingcircuitry QQ120 executing instructions stored on device readable mediumQQ130, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storagemedium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality maybe provided by processing circuitry QQ120 without executing instructionsstored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such asin a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whetherexecuting instructions stored on a device readable storage medium ornot, processing circuitry QQ120 can be configured to perform thedescribed functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality arenot limited to processing circuitry QQ120 alone or to other componentsof WD QQ110, but are enjoyed by WD QQ110 as a whole, and/or by end usersand the wireless network generally.

Processing circuitry QQ120 may be configured to perform any determining,calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations)described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, asperformed by processing circuitry QQ120, may include processinginformation obtained by processing circuitry QQ120 by, for example,converting the obtained information into other information, comparingthe obtained information or converted information to information storedby WD QQ110, and/or performing one or more operations based on theobtained information or converted information, and as a result of saidprocessing making a determination.

Device readable medium QQ130 may be operable to store a computerprogram, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules,code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executedby processing circuitry QQ120. Device readable medium QQ130 may includecomputer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory(ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media(e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or anyother volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/orcomputer executable memory devices that store information, data, and/orinstructions that may be used by processing circuitry QQ120. In someembodiments, processing circuitry QQ120 and device readable medium QQ130may be considered to be integrated.

User interface equipment QQ132 may provide components that allow for ahuman user to interact with WD QQ110. Such interaction may be of manyforms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipmentQQ132 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow theuser to provide input to WD QQ110. The type of interaction may varydepending on the type of user interface equipment QQ132 installed in WDQQ110. For example, if WD QQ110 is a smart phone, the interaction may bevia a touch screen; if WD QQ110 is a smart meter, the interaction may bethrough a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used)or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke isdetected). User interface equipment QQ132 may include input interfaces,devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. Userinterface equipment QQ132 is configured to allow input of informationinto WD QQ110, and is connected to processing circuitry QQ120 to allowprocessing circuitry QQ120 to process the input information. Userinterface equipment QQ132 may include, for example, a microphone, aproximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or morecameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipmentQQ132 is also configured to allow output of information from WD QQ110,and to allow processing circuitry QQ120 to output information from WDQQ110. User interface equipment QQ132 may include, for example, aspeaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphoneinterface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and outputinterfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment QQ132, WDQQ110 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network, andallow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

Auxiliary equipment QQ134 is operable to provide more specificfunctionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This maycomprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for variouspurposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wiredcommunications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliaryequipment QQ134 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.

Power source QQ136 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a batteryor battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external powersource (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or powercells, may also be used. WD QQ110 may further comprise power circuitryQQ137 for delivering power from power source QQ136 to the various partsof WD QQ110 which need power from power source QQ136 to carry out anyfunctionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry QQ137 mayin certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry. Powercircuitry QQ137 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receivepower from an external power source; in which case WD QQ110 may beconnectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet)via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable.Power circuitry QQ137 may also in certain embodiments be operable todeliver power from an external power source to power source QQ136. Thismay be, for example, for the charging of power source QQ136. Powercircuitry QQ137 may perform any formatting, converting, or othermodification to the power from power source QQ136 to make the powersuitable for the respective components of WD QQ110 to which power issupplied.

FIG. 15 illustrates a user Equipment in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 15 illustrates one embodiment of a UE in accordance with variousaspects described herein. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may notnecessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/oroperates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device thatis intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which maynot, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific humanuser (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE mayrepresent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, anend user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit ofa user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE QQ2200 may be any UE identifiedby the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-IoT UE,a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.UE QQ200, as illustrated in FIG. 15 , is one example of a WD configuredfor communication in accordance with one or more communication standardspromulgated by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as3GPP's GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, theterm WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although FIG.15 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to aWD, and vice-versa.

In FIG. 15 , UE QQ200 includes processing circuitry QQ201 that isoperatively coupled to input/output interface QQ205, radio frequency(RF) interface QQ209, network connection interface QQ211, memory QQ215including random access memory (RAM) QQ217, read-only memory (ROM)QQ219, and storage medium QQ221 or the like, communication subsystemQQ231, power source QQ233, and/or any other component, or anycombination thereof. Storage medium QQ221 includes operating systemQQ223, application program QQ225, and data QQ227. In other embodiments,storage medium QQ221 may include other similar types of information.Certain UEs may utilize all of the components shown in FIG. 15 , or onlya subset of the components. The level of integration between thecomponents may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs maycontain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors,memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

In FIG. 15 , processing circuitry QQ201 may be configured to processcomputer instructions and data. Processing circuitry QQ201 may beconfigured to implement any sequential state machine operative toexecute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computerprograms in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented statemachines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logictogether with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program,general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital SignalProcessor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combinationof the above. For example, the processing circuitry QQ201 may includetwo central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a formsuitable for use by a computer.

In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface QQ205 may beconfigured to provide a communication interface to an input device,output device, or input and output device. UE QQ200 may be configured touse an output device via input/output interface QQ205. An output devicemay use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example,a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from UE QQ200. Theoutput device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, amonitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another outputdevice, or any combination thereof. UE QQ200 may be configured to use aninput device via input/output interface QQ205 to allow a user to captureinformation into UE QQ200. The input device may include atouch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digitalcamera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, asensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scrollwheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display mayinclude a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from auser. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, atilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, aproximity sensor, another like sensor, or any combination thereof. Forexample, the input device may be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, adigital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

In FIG. 15 , RF interface QQ209 may be configured to provide acommunication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, areceiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface QQ211 may beconfigured to provide a communication interface to network QQ243 a.Network QQ243 a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as alocal-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network,a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like networkor any combination thereof. For example, network QQ243 a may comprise aWi-Fi network. Network connection interface QQ211 may be configured toinclude a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate withone or more other devices over a communication network according to oneor more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM,or the like. Network connection interface QQ211 may implement receiverand transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication networklinks (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter andreceiver functions may share circuit components, software or firmware,or alternatively may be implemented separately.

RAM QQ217 may be configured to interface via bus QQ202 to processingcircuitry QQ201 to provide storage or caching of data or computerinstructions during the execution of software programs such as theoperating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM QQ219may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processingcircuitry QQ201. For example, ROM QQ219 may be configured to storeinvariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions suchas basic input and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokesfrom a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory. Storage mediumQQ221 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmableread-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magneticdisks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, orflash drives. In one example, storage medium QQ221 may be configured toinclude operating system QQ223, application program QQ225 such as a webbrowser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application,and data file QQ227. Storage medium QQ221 may store, for use by UEQQ200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations ofoperating systems.

Storage medium QQ221 may be configured to include a number of physicaldrive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppydisk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive,thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc(HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray opticaldisc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive,external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamicrandom access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcardmemory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity(SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storagemedium QQ221 may allow UE QQ200 to access computer-executableinstructions, application programs or the like, stored on transitory ornon-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. Anarticle of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system maybe tangibly embodied in storage medium QQ221, which may comprise adevice readable medium.

In FIG. 15 , processing circuitry QQ201 may be configured to communicatewith network QQ243 b using communication subsystem QQ231. Network QQ243a and network QQ243 b may be the same network or networks or differentnetwork or networks. Communication subsystem QQ231 may be configured toinclude one or more transceivers used to communicate with network QQ243b. For example, communication subsystem QQ231 may be configured toinclude one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or moreremote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communicationsuch as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN)according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.QQ2,CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver mayinclude transmitter QQ233 and/or receiver QQ235 to implement transmitteror receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links(e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter QQ233and receiver QQ235 of each transceiver may share circuit components,software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions ofcommunication subsystem QQ231 may include data communication, voicecommunication, multimedia communication, short-range communications suchas Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communicationsuch as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine alocation, another like communication function, or any combinationthereof. For example, communication subsystem QQ231 may include cellularcommunication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPScommunication. Network QQ243 b may encompass wired and/or wirelessnetworks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN),a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network,another like network or any combination thereof. For example, networkQQ243 b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near-fieldnetwork. Power source QQ213 may be configured to provide alternatingcurrent (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE QQ200.

The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may beimplemented in one of the components of UE QQ200 or partitioned acrossmultiple components of UE QQ200. Further, the features, benefits, and/orfunctions described herein may be implemented in any combination ofhardware, software or firmware. In one example, communication subsystemQQ231 may be configured to include any of the components describedherein. Further, processing circuitry QQ201 may be configured tocommunicate with any of such components over bus QQ202. In anotherexample, any of such components may be represented by programinstructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitryQQ201 perform the corresponding functions described herein. In anotherexample, the functionality of any of such components may be partitionedbetween processing circuitry QQ201 and communication subsystem QQ231. Inanother example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any ofsuch components may be implemented in software or firmware and thecomputationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

FIG. 16 illustrates a virtualization environment in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualizationenvironment QQ300 in which functions implemented by some embodiments maybe virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creatingvirtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may includevirtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networkingresources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to a node(e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) orto a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type ofcommunication device) or components thereof and relates to animplementation in which at least a portion of the functionality isimplemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or moreapplications, components, functions, virtual machines or containersexecuting on one or more physical processing nodes in one or morenetworks).

In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein maybe implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtualmachines implemented in one or more virtual environments QQ300 hosted byone or more of hardware nodes QQ330. Further, in embodiments in whichthe virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radioconnectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may beentirely virtualized.

The functions may be implemented by one or more applications QQ320(which may alternatively be called software instances, virtualappliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions,etc.) operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/orbenefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications QQ320are run in virtualization environment QQ300 which provides hardwareQQ330 comprising processing circuitry QQ360 and memory QQ390. MemoryQQ390 contains instructions QQ395 executable by processing circuitryQQ360 whereby application QQ320 is operative to provide one or more ofthe features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Virtualization environment QQ300, comprises general-purpose orspecial-purpose network hardware devices QQ330 comprising a set of oneor more processors or processing circuitry QQ360, which may becommercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated ApplicationSpecific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processingcircuitry including digital or analog hardware components or specialpurpose processors. Each hardware device may comprise memory QQ390-1which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructionsQQ395 or software executed by processing circuitry QQ360. Each hardwaredevice may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs)QQ370, also known as network interface cards, which include physicalnetwork interface QQ380. Each hardware device may also includenon-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage media QQ390-2having stored therein software QQ395 and/or instructions executable byprocessing circuitry QQ360. Software QQ395 may include any type ofsoftware including software for instantiating one or more virtualizationlayers QQ350 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to executevirtual machines QQ340 as well as software allowing it to executefunctions, features and/or benefits described in relation with someembodiments described herein.

Virtual machines QQ340, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory,virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by acorresponding virtualization layer QQ350 or hypervisor. Differentembodiments of the instance of virtual appliance QQ320 may beimplemented on one or more of virtual machines QQ340, and theimplementations may be made in different ways.

During operation, processing circuitry QQ360 executes software QQ395 toinstantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer QQ350, which maysometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM).Virtualization layer QQ350 may present a virtual operating platform thatappears like networking hardware to virtual machine QQ340.

As shown in FIG. 16 , hardware QQ330 may be a standalone network nodewith generic or specific components. Hardware QQ330 may comprise antennaQQ3225 and may implement some functions via virtualization.Alternatively, hardware QQ330 may be part of a larger cluster ofhardware (e.g. such as in a data center or customer premise equipment(CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed viamanagement and orchestration (MANO) QQ3100, which, among others,oversees lifecycle management of applications QQ320.

Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to asnetwork function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidatemany network equipment types onto industry standard high-volume serverhardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be locatedin data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, virtual machine QQ340 may be a softwareimplementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they wereexecuting on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of virtualmachines QQ340, and that part of hardware QQ330 that executes thatvirtual machine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/orhardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtualmachines QQ340, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).

Still in the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) isresponsible for handling specific network functions that run in one ormore virtual machines QQ340 on top of hardware networking infrastructureQQ330 and corresponds to application QQ320 in FIG. 16 .

In some embodiments, one or more radio units QQ3200 that each includeone or more transmitters QQ3220 and one or more receivers QQ3210 may becoupled to one or more antennas QQ3225. Radio units QQ3200 maycommunicate directly with hardware nodes QQ330 via one or moreappropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with thevirtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities,such as a radio access node or a base station.

In some embodiments, some signalling can be effected with the use ofcontrol system QQ3230 which may alternatively be used for communicationbetween the hardware nodes QQ330 and radio units QQ3200.

FIG. 17 illustrates a telecommunication network connected via anintermediate network to a host computer in accordance with someembodiments.

With reference to FIGURE QQ4 , in accordance with an embodiment, acommunication system includes telecommunication network QQ410, such as a3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network QQ411, suchas a radio access network, and core network QQ414. Access network QQ411comprises a plurality of base stations QQ412 a, QQ412 b, QQ412 c, suchas NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, eachdefining a corresponding coverage area QQ413 a, QQ413 b, QQ413 c. Eachbase station QQ412 a, QQ412 b, QQ412 c is connectable to core networkQQ414 over a wired or wireless connection QQ415. A first UE QQ491located in coverage area QQ413 c is configured to wirelessly connect to,or be paged by, the corresponding base station QQ412 c. A second UEQQ492 in coverage area QQ413 a is wirelessly connectable to thecorresponding base station QQ412 a. While a plurality of UEs QQ491,QQ492 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments areequally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coveragearea or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base stationQQ412.

Telecommunication network QQ410 is itself connected to host computerQQ430, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of astandalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server oras processing resources in a server farm. Host computer QQ430 may beunder the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operatedby the service provider or on behalf of the service provider.Connections QQ421 and QQ422 between telecommunication network QQ410 andhost computer QQ430 may extend directly from core network QQ414 to hostcomputer QQ430 or may go via an optional intermediate network QQ420.Intermediate network QQ420 may be one of, or a combination of more thanone of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network QQ420,if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular,intermediate network QQ420 may comprise two or more sub-networks (notshown).

The communication system of FIG. 17 as a whole enables connectivitybetween the connected UEs QQ491, QQ492 and host computer QQ430. Theconnectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection QQ450.Host computer QQ430 and the connected UEs QQ491, QQ492 are configured tocommunicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection QQ450, using accessnetwork QQ411, core network QQ414, any intermediate network QQ420 andpossible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTTconnection QQ450 may be transparent in the sense that the participatingcommunication devices through which OTT connection QQ450 passes areunaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example,base station QQ412 may not or need not be informed about the pastrouting of an incoming downlink communication with data originating fromhost computer QQ430 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connectedUE QQ491. Similarly, base station QQ412 need not be aware of the futurerouting of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UEQQ491 towards the host computer QQ430.

FIG. 18 illustrates a host computer communicating via a base stationwith a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordancewith some embodiments.

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE,base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphswill now be described with reference to FIG. 18 . In communicationsystem QQ500, host computer QQ510 comprises hardware QQ515 includingcommunication interface QQ516 configured to set up and maintain a wiredor wireless connection with an interface of a different communicationdevice of communication system QQ500. Host computer QQ510 furthercomprises processing circuitry QQ518, which may have storage and/orprocessing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry QQ518 maycomprise one or more programmable processors, application-specificintegrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations ofthese (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer QQ510further comprises software QQ511, which is stored in or accessible byhost computer QQ510 and executable by processing circuitry QQ518.Software QQ511 includes host application QQ512. Host application QQ512may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE QQ530connecting via OTT connection QQ550 terminating at UE QQ530 and hostcomputer QQ510. In providing the service to the remote user, hostapplication QQ512 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTTconnection QQ550.

Communication system QQ500 further includes base station QQ520 providedin a telecommunication system and comprising hardware QQ525 enabling itto communicate with host computer QQ510 and with UE QQ530. HardwareQQ525 may include communication interface QQ526 for setting up andmaintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of adifferent communication device of communication system QQ500, as well asradio interface QQ527 for setting up and maintaining at least wirelessconnection QQ570 with UE QQ530 located in a coverage area (not shown inFIG. 18 ) served by base station QQ520. Communication interface QQ526may be configured to facilitate connection QQ560 to host computer QQ510.Connection QQ560 may be direct or it may pass through a core network(not shown in FIG. 18 ) of the telecommunication system and/or throughone or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system.In the embodiment shown, hardware QQ525 of base station QQ520 furtherincludes processing circuitry QQ528, which may comprise one or moreprogrammable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, fieldprogrammable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted toexecute instructions. Base station QQ520 further has software QQ521stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

Communication system QQ500 further includes UE QQ530 already referredto. Its hardware QQ535 may include radio interface QQ537 configured toset up and maintain wireless connection QQ570 with a base stationserving a coverage area in which UE QQ530 is currently located. HardwareQQ535 of UE QQ530 further includes processing circuitry QQ538, which maycomprise one or more programmable processors, application-specificintegrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations ofthese (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE QQ530 furthercomprises software QQ531, which is stored in or accessible by UE QQ530and executable by processing circuitry QQ538. Software QQ531 includesclient application QQ532. Client application QQ532 may be operable toprovide a service to a human or non-human user via UE QQ530, with thesupport of host computer QQ510. In host computer QQ510, an executinghost application QQ512 may communicate with the executing clientapplication QQ532 via OTT connection QQ550 terminating at UE QQ530 andhost computer QQ510. In providing the service to the user, clientapplication QQ532 may receive request data from host application QQ512and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connectionQQ550 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Clientapplication QQ532 may interact with the user to generate the user datathat it provides.

It is noted that host computer QQ510, base station QQ520 and UE QQ530illustrated in FIG. 18 may be similar or identical to host computerQQ430, one of base stations QQ412 a, QQ412 b, QQ412 c and one of UEsQQ491, QQ492 of FIG. 17 , respectively. This is to say, the innerworkings of these entities may be as shown in FIG. 18 and independently,the surrounding network topology may be that of FIG. 17 .

In FIG. 18 , OTT connection QQ550 has been drawn abstractly toillustrate the communication between host computer QQ510 and UE QQ530via base station QQ520, without explicit reference to any intermediarydevices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. Networkinfrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured tohide from UE QQ530 or from the service provider operating host computerQQ510, or both. While OTT connection QQ550 is active, the networkinfrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamicallychanges the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing considerationor reconfiguration of the network).

Wireless connection QQ570 between UE QQ530 and base station QQ520 is inaccordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughoutthis disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments may improve theperformance of OTT services provided to UE QQ530 using OTT connectionQQ550, in which wireless connection QQ570 forms the last segment. Moreprecisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the randomaccess speed and/or reduce random access failure rates and therebyprovide benefits such as faster and/or more reliable random access.

A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoringdata rate, latency and other factors on which the one or moreembodiments improve. There may further be an optional networkfunctionality for reconfiguring OTT connection QQ550 between hostcomputer QQ510 and UE QQ530, in response to variations in themeasurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the networkfunctionality for reconfiguring OTT connection QQ550 may be implementedin software QQ511 and hardware QQ515 of host computer QQ510 or insoftware QQ531 and hardware QQ535 of UE QQ530, or both. In embodiments,sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association withcommunication devices through which OTT connection QQ550 passes; thesensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying valuesof the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values ofother physical quantities from which software QQ511, QQ531 may computeor estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTTconnection QQ550 may include message format, retransmission settings,preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base stationQQ520, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station QQ520.Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in theart. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UEsignaling facilitating host computer QQ510's measurements of throughput,propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may beimplemented in that software QQ511 and QQ531 causes messages to betransmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTTconnection QQ550 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

FIG. 19 illustrates methods implemented in a communication systemincluding a host computer, a base station and a user equipment inaccordance with some embodiments

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UEwhich may be those described with reference to Figures QQ4 and QQ5. Forsimplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 19will be included in this section. In step QQ610, the host computerprovides user data. In substep QQ611 (which may be optional) of stepQQ610, the host computer provides the user data by executing a hostapplication. In step QQ620, the host computer initiates a transmissioncarrying the user data to the UE. In step QQ630 (which may be optional),the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried inthe transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance withthe teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.In step QQ640 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a clientapplication associated with the host application executed by the hostcomputer.

FIG. 20 illustrates methods implemented in a communication systemincluding a host computer, a base station and a user equipment inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UEwhich may be those described with reference to Figures QQ4 and QQ5. Forsimplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 20will be included in this section. In step QQ710 of the method, the hostcomputer provides user data. In an optional substep (not shown) the hostcomputer provides the user data by executing a host application. In stepQQ720, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user datato the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordancewith the teachings of the embodiments described throughout thisdisclosure. In step QQ730 (which may be optional), the UE receives theuser data carried in the transmission.

FIG. 21 illustrates methods implemented in a communication systemincluding a host computer, a base station and a user equipment inaccordance with some embodiments

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UEwhich may be those described with reference to Figures QQ4 and QQ5. Forsimplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 21will be included in this section. In step QQ810 (which may be optional),the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionallyor alternatively, in step QQ820, the UE provides user data. In substepQQ821 (which may be optional) of step QQ820, the UE provides the userdata by executing a client application. In substep QQ811 (which may beoptional) of step QQ810, the UE executes a client application whichprovides the user data in reaction to the received input data providedby the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed clientapplication may further consider user input received from the user.Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided,the UE initiates, in substep QQ830 (which may be optional), transmissionof the user data to the host computer. In step QQ840 of the method, thehost computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, inaccordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughoutthis disclosure.

FIG. 22 illustrates methods implemented in a communication systemincluding a host computer, a base station and a user equipment inaccordance with some embodiments

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UEwhich may be those described with reference to Figures QQ4 and QQ5. Forsimplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 22will be included in this section. In step QQ910 (which may be optional),in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughoutthis disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. Instep QQ920 (which may be optional), the base station initiatestransmission of the received user data to the host computer. In stepQQ930 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user datacarried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefitsdisclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional unitsor modules of one or more virtual apparatuses. Each virtual apparatusmay comprise a number of these functional units. These functional unitsmay be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one ormore microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digitalhardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs),special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitrymay be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which mayinclude one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM),random-access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, opticalstorage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes programinstructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or datacommunications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one ormore of the techniques described herein. In some implementations, theprocessing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unitto perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

The term unit may have conventional meaning in the field of electronics,electrical devices and/or electronic devices and may include, forexample, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules,processors, memories, logic solid state and/or discrete devices,computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks,procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and soon, as such as those that are described herein.

Further definitions and embodiments are discussed below.

In the above-description of various embodiments of present inventiveconcepts, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is forthe purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is notintended to be limiting of present inventive concepts. Unless otherwisedefined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) usedherein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art to which present inventive concepts belong. It will befurther understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly useddictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of this specification andthe relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overlyformal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

When an element is referred to as being “connected”, “coupled”,“responsive”, or variants thereof to another element, it can be directlyconnected, coupled, or responsive to the other element or interveningelements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to asbeing “directly connected”, “directly coupled”, “directly responsive”,or variants thereof to another element, there are no interveningelements present. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.Furthermore, “coupled”, “connected”, “responsive”, or variants thereofas used herein may include wirelessly coupled, connected, or responsive.As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described indetail for brevity and/or clarity. The term “and/or” (abbreviated “/”)includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associatedlisted items.

It will be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc.may be used herein to describe various elements/operations, theseelements/operations should not be limited by these terms. These termsare only used to distinguish one element/operation from anotherelement/operation. Thus, a first element/operation in some embodimentscould be termed a second element/operation in other embodiments withoutdeparting from the teachings of present inventive concepts. The samereference numerals or the same reference designators denote the same orsimilar elements throughout the specification.

As used herein, the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “comprises”,“include”, “including”, “includes”, “have”, “has”, “having”, or variantsthereof are open-ended, and include one or more stated features,integers, elements, steps, components or functions but does not precludethe presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,elements, steps, components, functions or groups thereof. Furthermore,as used herein, the common abbreviation “e.g.”, which derives from theLatin phrase “exempli gratia,” may be used to introduce or specify ageneral example or examples of a previously mentioned item, and is notintended to be limiting of such item. The common abbreviation “i.e.”,which derives from the Latin phrase “id est,” may be used to specify aparticular item from a more general recitation.

Example embodiments are described herein with reference to blockdiagrams and/or flowchart illustrations of computer-implemented methods,apparatus (systems and/or devices) and/or computer program products. Itis understood that a block of the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/orflowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computer programinstructions that are performed by one or more computer circuits. Thesecomputer program instructions may be provided to a processor circuit ofa general purpose computer circuit, special purpose computer circuit,and/or other programmable data processing circuit to produce a machine,such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of thecomputer and/or other programmable data processing apparatus, transformand control transistors, values stored in memory locations, and otherhardware components within such circuitry to implement thefunctions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/or flowchart block orblocks, and thereby create means (functionality) and/or structure forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/orflowchart block(s).

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a tangiblecomputer-readable medium that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/orflowchart block or blocks. Accordingly, embodiments of present inventiveconcepts may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (includingfirmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) that runs on a processorsuch as a digital signal processor, which may collectively be referredto as “circuitry,” “a module” or variants thereof.

It should also be noted that in some alternate implementations, thefunctions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted inthe flowcharts. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in factbe executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/actsinvolved. Moreover, the functionality of a given block of the flowchartsand/or block diagrams may be separated into multiple blocks and/or thefunctionality of two or more blocks of the flowcharts and/or blockdiagrams may be at least partially integrated. Finally, other blocks maybe added/inserted between the blocks that are illustrated, and/orblocks/operations may be omitted without departing from the scopeherein. Moreover, although some of the diagrams include arrows oncommunication paths to show a primary direction of communication, it isto be understood that communication may occur in the opposite directionto the depicted arrows.

Many variations and modifications can be made to the embodiments withoutsubstantially departing from the principles of the present inventiveconcepts. All such variations and modifications are intended to beincluded herein within the scope of present inventive concepts.Accordingly, the above disclosed subject matter is to be consideredillustrative, and not restrictive, and the examples of embodiments areintended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and otherembodiments, which fall within the spirit and scope of present inventiveconcepts. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope ofpresent inventive concepts are to be determined by the broadestpermissible interpretation of the present disclosure including theexamples of embodiments and their equivalents, and shall not berestricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.

1. A method of operating a radio access network (RAN) node in acommunication network, the method comprising: receiving valid channeldata from a plurality of user equipment (UE) devices, that includeschannel impulse response distribution data corresponding to theplurality of UE devices; and generating a virtual UE based on a firstdelay spread of a first UE device of the plurality of UE devices in amultiple user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) schedulingconfiguration.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determininga maximum delay spread supported by the RAN node; and comparing thefirst delay spread of at least one UE device to the maximum delayspread, wherein generating the virtual UE comprises dividing schedulingof the first UE device into a plurality of virtual UEs based on thefirst delay spread being greater than the maximum delay spread.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, further comprising comparing the first delay spreadto a first delay spread threshold that is determined as the maximumdelay spread multiplied by a first factor that is greater than zero andless than 1, and wherein generating the virtual UE comprises mergingscheduling of the first UE device with more than one UE device in theplurality of UE devices to generate the virtual UE based on the firstdelay spread being less than the first delay spread threshold and basedon the first delay spread not being greater than the maximum delayspread.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising comparing the delayspread of the first UE device to a second delay spread threshold that isdetermined as the maximum delay spread multiplied by a second factorthat is greater than the first factor and less than 1, and whereingenerating the virtual UE comprises merging scheduling of the first UEdevice with scheduling of one other UE device of the plurality of UEdevices to generate the virtual UE based on the first delay spread beinggreater than the first delay spread threshold and less than the seconddelay spread threshold.
 5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:comparing a delay spread of a second UE device of the plurality of UEdevices to the maximum delay spread, wherein generating the virtual UEcomprises dividing scheduling of the second UE device into a pluralityof virtual UEs based on the second delay spread being greater than themaximum delay spread.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprisingcomparing the second delay spread to a first delay spread threshold thatis determined as the maximum delay spread multiplied by a first factorthat is greater than 0 and less than 1, and wherein generating thevirtual UE comprises merging the scheduling of the second UE device withthe scheduling of more than one UE device of the plurality of UE devicesto generate the virtual UE based on the second delay spread being lessthan the first delay spread threshold and based on the second delayspread not being greater than the maximum delay spread, wherein the morethan one UE device includes the first UE device and at least one otherUE device.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising comparing thedelay spread of the second UE device to a second delay spread thresholdthat is determined as the maximum delay spread multiplied by a secondfactor that is greater than the first factor and less than 1, andwherein generating the virtual UE comprises merging the scheduling ofthe second UE device with the scheduling of only one other UE device ofthe plurality of UE devices to generate the virtual UE based on thesecond delay spread being greater than the first delay spread thresholdand less than the second delay spread threshold, wherein the one otherUE device is the first UE device.
 8. The method of claim 2, wherein theplurality of virtual UEs comprises a first virtual UE and a secondvirtual UE, the method further comprising calculating a plurality ofantenna beam forming weights corresponding to the first virtual UE andthe second virtual UE.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein calculating theplurality of antenna beam forming weights comprises dividing the channelimpulse values into a first channel impulse value corresponding to thefirst virtual UE and a second channel impulse value corresponding to thesecond virtual UE.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein calculating theplurality of antenna beam forming weights further comprises generating,for each of the first virtual UE and the second virtual UE, aninterference channel impulse response.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein calculating the plurality of antenna beam forming weightsfurther comprises: generating, using the interference channel impulseresponse for each of the first virtual UE and the second virtual UE, aninterference matrix; and calculating the plurality of antenna beamforming weights using the interference matrix and the interferencechannel impulse response.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein calculatingthe plurality of antenna beam forming weights is performed using a zeroforcing criteria.
 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:determining a first delay spread threshold that is less than a maximumdelay spread that is supported by the RAN node; and comparing the firstdelay spread of the first UE device to the first delay spread threshold,wherein generating the virtual UE comprises merging scheduling of thefirst UE device with scheduling of another UE device of the plurality ofUE devices based on the first delay spread of the first UE device beingless than the first delay spread threshold.
 14. The method of claim 2,wherein the virtual UE comprises channel impulse responses correspondingto multiple ones of the plurality of UE devices, and wherein the methodfurther comprises generating a time delay between a first channelimpulse response and a second channel impulse response.
 15. The methodof claim 14, further comprising calculating a plurality of antenna beamforming weights corresponding to the virtual UE.
 16. The method of claim15, wherein calculating the plurality of antenna beam forming weightscomprises dividing the channel impulse values into a channel impulsevalue corresponding to the virtual UE.
 17. The method of claim 16,wherein calculating the plurality of antenna beam forming weightsfurther comprises generating, for the virtual UE, an interferencechannel impulse response.
 18. The method of claim 17, whereincalculating the plurality of antenna beam forming weights furthercomprises: generating, using the interference channel impulse response,an interference matrix; and calculating the plurality of antenna beamforming weights using the interference matrix and the interferencechannel impulse response.
 19. A radio access network (RAN) nodecomprising: processing circuitry; and memory coupled with the processingcircuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executedby the processing circuitry, cause the RAN node to perform operationsto: receive valid channel data from a plurality of user equipment (UE)devices that includes channel impulse response distribution datacorresponding to the plurality of UE devices; and generate a virtual UEbased on a first delay spread of a first UE device of the plurality ofUE devices in a multiple user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO)scheduling configuration.
 20. (canceled)
 21. A non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium comprising program code to be executedby processing circuitry of a radio access network (RAN) node, whereinthe program code causes the RAN node to perform operations comprising:receiving valid channel data from a plurality of user equipment (UE)devices that includes channel impulse response distribution datacorresponding to the plurality of UE devices; and generating a virtualUE based on a first delay spread of a first UE device of the pluralityof UE devices in a multiple user multiple input multiple output(MU-MIMO) scheduling configuration. 22-24. (canceled)